Secondary Neurological Deterioration Research Articles

Hounsfield unit as a predictor of symptomatic vasospasm and hydrocephalus in good-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage treated with endovascular coiling.

Patients with good-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) often expect favorable outcomes; however, several patients may experience secondary neurological deterioration. Hydrocephalus and vasospasm are significant complications affecting SAH prognosis. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the incidence of symptomatic vasospasm or hydrocephalus and the Hounsfield unit (HU) value of the subarachnoid space on brain computed tomography (CT) in patients with good-grade SAH treated with endovascular coiling. We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive initially good-grade pure SAH patients (Hunt-Hess grade I or II, modified Fisher scale I or III) with ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms treated with endovascular coiling in a single tertiary neurosurgical center between January 2010 and December 2019. The HU value within each cisterns of enrolled patients was measured, and after setting an appropriate cutoff value, it was investigated whether it could be a predictor of the occurrence of vasospasm and hydrocephalus. The study included 108 eligible patients (34 males, mean age 60.88±12.26 years): 26 (24.1%) showed symptomatic vasospasm and 31 (28.7%) developed hydrocephalus. Patients with symptomatic vasospasm had a greater proportion of those with Hunt-Hess grade II (77% vs. 51%, P=0.021) and modified Fisher scale III scores (58% vs. 22%, P=0.001). The hydrocephalus group presented an older mean age (65.90 vs. 58.86 years, P=0.006) and a greater proportion of Hunt-Hess grade II (74% vs. 51%, P=0.025) and modified Fisher scale III cases (45% vs. 25%, P=0.037). The mean HU values of the Sylvian cistern (53.23 vs. 43.99, P<0.001) and basal cisterns (47.04 vs. 40.18, P=0.003) were higher in the vasospasm group. In the hydrocephalus group, only the basal cistern HU value was significantly higher (45.60 vs. 40.32, P=0.016). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to determine the best cut-off HU value for the prediction of patients with symptomatic vasospasm revealed a Sylvian cistern HU value of 50.375 (sensitivity: 0.692, specificity: 0.683) and basal cistern HU value of 44.875 (sensitivity: 0.615, specificity: 0.659). Multivariable logistic analysis showed that age >70 years and Sylvian cistern HU value were independent predictors of any neurological complication at 1 year. The HU value of the subarachnoid space on brain CT can predict vasospasm, hydrocephalus, and long-term prognosis in good-grade SAH patients.

Clinical Indicators for Primary Cranial CT Imaging after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury-A Retrospective Analysis.

The primary aim was to determine the clinical indicators for primary cranial CT imaging in patients after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). The secondary aim was to evaluate the need for post-traumatic short-term hospitalization based on primary clinical and CT findings. This was an observational retrospective single-centre study of all the patients who were admitted with mTBI over a five-year period. Demographic and anamnesis data, the clinical and radiological findings, and the outcome were analyzed. An initial cranial CT (CT0) was performed at admission. Repeat CT scans (CT1) were performed after positive CT0 findings and in cases with in-hospital secondary neurological deterioration. Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and the patient's outcome were evaluated using descriptive statistical analysis. A multivariable analysis was performed to find associations between the clinical variables and the pathologic CT findings. A total of 1837 patients (mean age: 70.7 years) with mTBI were included. Acute ICH was detected in 102 patients (5.5%), with a total of 123 intracerebral lesions. In total, 707 (38.4%) patients were admitted for 48 h for in-hospital observation and six patients underwent an immediate neurosurgical intervention. The prevalence of delayed ICH was 0.05%. A Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of <15, loss of consciousness, amnesia, seizures, cephalgia, somnolence, dizziness, nausea, and clinical signs of fracture were identified as clinical factors with significantly higher risk of acute ICH. None of the 110 CT1 presented clinical relevance. A GCS of <15, loss of consciousness, amnesia, seizures, cephalgia, somnolence, dizziness, nausea, and clinical signs of cranial fractures should be considered absolute indicators for primary cranial CT imaging. The reported incidence of immediate and delayed traumatic ICH was very low and hospitalization should be decided individually considering both the clinical and CT findings.

Secondary Neurologic Deterioration After Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury: Development of a Multivariable Prediction Model and Proposition of a Simple Triage Score.

Identifying patients at risk of secondary neurologic deterioration (SND) after moderate traumatic brain injury (moTBI) is a challenge, as such patients will need specific care. No simple scoring system has been evaluated to date. This study aimed to determine clinical and radiological factors associated with SND after moTBI and to propose a triage score. All adults admitted in our academic trauma center between January 2016 and January 2019 for moTBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score, 9-13) were eligible. SND during the first week was defined either by a decrease in GCS score of >2 points from the admission GCS in the absence of pharmacologic sedation or by a deterioration in neurologic status associated with an intervention, such as mechanical ventilation, sedation, osmotherapy, transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU), or neurosurgical intervention (for intracranial mass lesions or depressed skull fracture). Clinical, biological, and radiological independent predictors of SND were identified by logistic regression (LR). An internal validation was performed using a bootstrap technique. A weighted score was defined based on beta (β) coefficients of the LR. A total of 142 patients were included. Forty-six patients (32%) showed SND, and 14-day mortality rate was 18.4%. Independent variables associated with SND were age above 60 years (odds ratio [OR], 3.45 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.45-8.48]; P = .005), brain frontal contusion (OR, 3.22 [95% CI, 1.31-8.49]; P = .01), prehospital or admission arterial hypotension (OR, 4.86 [95% CI, 2.03-12.60]; P = .006), and a Marshall computed tomography (CT) score of 6 (OR, 3.25 [95% CI, 1.31-8.20]; P = .01). The SND score was defined with a range from 0 to 10. The score included the following variables: age >60 years (3 points), prehospital or admission arterial hypotension (3 points), frontal contusion (2 points), and Marshall CT score of 6 (2 points). The score was able to detect patients at risk of SND, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.65-0.82). A score of 3 had a sensitivity of 85%, a specificity of 50%, a VPN of 87%, and a VPP of 44 % to predict SND. In this study, we demonstrate that moTBI patients have a significant risk of SND. A simple weighted score at hospital admission could be able to detect patients at risk of SND. The use of the score may enable optimization of care resources for these patients.

Inflammatory score predicts early hematoma expansion and poor outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage

This study aimed to develop a prediction score named inflammatory score based on proper integration of several inflammatory markers and investigate whether it was associated with hematoma expansion and poor outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study involved a consecutive series of spontaneous ICH patients of two cohorts admitted within 24 hours after symptom onset. Inflammatory score (0-9) was developed with the combination of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, lactate dehydrogenase, and C-reactive protein. The authors investigated the association between inflammatory score and hematoma expansion and poor outcomes by using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The optimal cutoff point of inflammatory score was determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis in the development cohort and then validated. A total of 301 and 154 ICH patients were enrolled in the development and validation cohorts. Inflammatory score was significantly higher in patients with hematoma expansion and poor outcomes. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed inflammatory score was independently associated with hematoma expansion, secondary neurological deterioration within 48 hours, 30-day mortality, and 3-month poor modified Rankin scale (4-6). The diagnostic accuracy of inflammatory score exhibited by area under the curve showed numerically or statistically higher than most of the individual indicators. Moreover, inflammatory score greater than or equal to 5 was selected as the optimal cutoff point, which was further prospectively validated with high diagnostic accuracy. The inflammatory score is a reliable predictor for early hematoma expansion and short-term and long-term poor outcomes with good diagnostic accuracies in ICH patients.

Transcranial Doppler as an early predictor of neurological outcome in mild and moderate traumatic brain injury: An observational study

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability and mortality globaly. The transcranial Doppler (TCD) method may show low diastolic blood flow velocity (FVd) and high pulsatility index (PI) measurements brought on by high vascular bed resistance. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the TCD-PI for the early detection of secondary neurological deterioration (SND) in mild and moderate TBI. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was carried out on 105 mild and moderate TBI patients, who had TCD measurements within 12 h of the initial trauma, and initial computerized tomography (CT) showed mild lesion or no detected abnormality. Results: Primary end point was assessed (SND) within 1st week post trauma. Of the 105 patients with mild and moderate TBI, 29 (27.6%) showed SND. We evaluated the value of our intervention (TCD) to predict SND after mild and moderate TBI in 1st week. PI could predict SND at cutoff 1.21 with good sensitivity of 96.5% and specificity of 94.7%, area under curve (AUC) value of 0.98, negative predictive value (NPV) of 98.6%, and positive predictive value (PPV) of 87.5%. To amplify our finding, we measured FVd, and at 25 cm/s it showed good sensitivity 86.2% and specificity 89.5% when AUC 0.93, NPV 94.4%, and PPV 75.8%. Conclusion: TCD on admission may provide a valuable tool of early prediction of neurological outcome for mild and moderate TBI patients. Closing the gap in poor prediction of commonly used evaluation by CT especially with mild lesion.

Abstract WP142: T Cells Aggravate Intracerebral Hemorrhage Injury

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), a devastating form of stroke, has a mortality of 40% and no available treatment. Inflammation contributes to the genesis and expansion of perihematomal edema (PHE) in ICH, thus driving secondary injury and subsequent neurological deterioration. This study was carried out to elucidate contributions of lymphocytes, specifically CD4 + cells in the formation of PHE and ICH-induced neural injury. Upon examination of brain sections of ICH patients, we observed abundant CD4 + T cells among the PHE-infiltrating immune cells as early as 24 hours post-ictus. Analogous findings in ICH mouse model induced with autologous blood or collagenase injection confirmed the phenomenon. Using anti-CD4 antibody to deplete CD4 + T cells, we find that brain-infiltrating CD4 + T cells exacerbates acute ICH injury in mice by reducing BBB integrity and promoting leukocytes recruitment with early and time-dependent CD4 + T cells activation. Brain infiltrating CD4 + T cells exhibit activated transcriptome signatures, promoting local inflammation via IL-17. In the hemorrhagic brain, CD4 + T cells induces CD31 + endothelial cell apoptosis via death receptor-ligands TRAIL-DR5 pathway; specific ablation of CD4 + T cells with depleting antibody results in reduced PHE volume and improved long-term neurological outcome. In all, these data sheds new lights on T cell-mediated immune responses contributing to PHE and brain injury in ICH.

Role of noninvasive imaging techniques as outcome predictors in traumatic brain injury

ObjectivesWe aimed to assess the predictive value of early transcranial Doppler (TCD) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in terms of secondary neurological insult and to establish the comparison between TCD and other diagnostic methods as predictors of outcome in those patients.BackgroundPatients with mild to moderate TBI are at risk of grave neurologic outcomes. Early use of TCD for these patients could be a good predictor.Patients and methodsThis prospective cohort study enrolled adult patients with mild and moderate TBI. Early TCD was done, and the peak systolic velocities, end-diastolic velocity, and time-averaged mean velocity in the middle cerebral artery were recorded. The pulsatility index and the resistance index were calculated. Secondary neurological deterioration (SND) was assessed on the seventh day from injury. Prognosis was also assessed by the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) on the 28th day of admission.ResultsIn all, 120 patients were enrolled. Of these, 78 patients had SND, and 44 patients developed bad 28-day GOS. Age and severity of trauma (mild and moderate TBI) were significantly associated with both SND and bad GOS. TCD measurements were good predictors to detect patients at risk of SND and the 28-day GOS. Using receiver-operating characteristic analysis, the best threshold limit was found to be 25 cm/s for diastolic cerebral blood flow velocity and 1.2 for pulsatility index. Combination cutoffs of TCD parameters could be good predictors of SND.ConclusionEarly TCD measurements after mild to moderate TBI could predict patients at risk of SND and bad neurological outcome.

Posterior Transdural Discectomy for Thoracic Disc Herniation.

Thoracic disc herniation is a challenging condition with severe neurological sequelae. Surgical management is still a matter of debate. Medical records of seven patients who underwent a posterior transdural discectomy for thoracic disc herniation was retrospectively evaluated. Between years 2012 and 2020, 7 patients (5 male and 2 female) with age ranged between 17 and 74 were operated with posterior transdural discectomy Numbness is the most common presenting symptom and 2 patients were complaint with urinary incontinance. T10-11 was the most effected level. All the patients underwent at least 6 months follow-up. There were no postoperative CSF leak and neurological complications due to the surgery. All the patients were remained at their baseline neurological status or improved after surgery. None of the patients experienced a secondary neurological deterioration or a need for further surgical treatment. The posterior transdural approach is a safe procedure that should be kept in mind in lateral and paracentral thoracic disc herniations providing a more direct approach.

The stress hyperglycemia ratio predicts early hematoma expansion and poor outcomes in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background:Different from diabetic hyperglycemia, stress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH) can better reflect elevated blood glucose owing to intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, studies about the outcome of ICH patients with SIH are still very limited.Aims:This study aimed to investigate whether SIH measured by stress-induced hyperglycemia ratio (SHR) was associated with hematoma expansion and poor outcomes in patients with ICH.Methods:A consecutive series of patients with spontaneous ICH from two clinical centers admitted within 24 h after symptom onset were enrolled for prospective analysis. SHR was defined as admission fasting blood glucose divided by estimated average glucose [1.59 × Hemoglobin A1c (%) − 2.59]. This study investigated the association between SHR and hematoma expansion, and short-term and long-term poor outcomes using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.Results:A total of 313 ICH patients were enrolled in the study. SHR was markedly higher in patients with hematoma expansion and poor outcomes (p < 0.001). The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated SHR independently associated with hematoma expansion (p < 0.001) and poor outcomes, including secondary neurological deterioration within 48 h, 30-day mortality, and 3-month poor modified Rankin Scale (mRS 4–6) (p < 0.001), while the blood glucose only predicted 30-day mortality. Meanwhile, the diagnostic accuracy of SHR exhibited by area under the curve in receiver operating characteristic analysis was statistically equal to or higher than the well-known predictors.Conclusion:SHR is a reliable predictor for early hematoma expansion and poor outcomes in patients with ICH.

Cervical spine fracture-dislocation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and severe thoracic kyphosis: Application of halo vest before and during surgical management

Cervical spine fracture-dislocation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and severe thoracic kyphosis is extremely unstable. This study was performed to investigate the efficacy and safety of halo vest application before and during surgery for these patients. We retrospectively analyzed the case histories, operations, neurologic outcomes, follow-up data, and imaging records of 25 patients with AS and severe thoracic kyphosis who underwent surgical treatment of cervical fracture-dislocation in our department from 2008 to 2019. A halo vest was used to reduce and immobilize the fractured spinal column ends before and during surgery. The neurologic injury was evaluated using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale score, visual analog scale (VAS) score, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score before and after the operation. Twenty-two patients achieved closed anatomical reduction; two achieved successful reduction and one underwent failed reduction after halo vest application. No fracture site displacement occurred after movement into the prone position. No patients developed secondary neurological deterioration. The mean Cobb angle of thoracic kyphosis was 69.0° ± 12.3°. All patients underwent posterior or combined anterior-posterior surgery. The ASIA grade improved significantly (P < 0.01). The mean VAS and JOA scores also increased significantly after the operation (14.6 ± 3.0 vs. 10.4 ± 4.3 and 0.5 ± 0.6 vs. 4.6 ± 1.9, respectively; P < 0.01). One patient died 3 weeks after the operation. No other severe complications occurred. All patients had reached solid bony fusion by the 12-month follow-up. Use of a halo vest before and during the operation is safe and effective in patients with AS and severe thoracic kyphosis who develop cervical fracture-dislocation. This technique makes positioning, awake nasoendotracheal intubation, nursing, and the operation more convenient. It can also provide satisfactory reduction and rigid immobilization and prevent secondary neurologic deterioration.

Limited benefit of systematic head CT for mild traumatic brain injury in patients under antithrombotic therapy

Background and purposeMild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in patients on antiplatelet (AP), anticoagulant (AC) or direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) medication has become a systematic indication for head CT. However, the over-risk and impact of the intracranial hemorrhages (IH) detected with CT in this population remain unclear and need to be assessed. Materials and methodsWe prospectively assessed head CTs performed in adults taking AP/AC/DOAC referred after a mTBI to our Emergency Departments between September 2016 and January 2018. Frequency, type and severity of IH were described and frequency was analyzed as a function of treatment. Results840 patients were prospectively included. 58.9% were treated with AP, 23.7% with AC, 11.7% with DOAC and 5.7% with a combination of antithrombotic agents. The rate of IH detected with head CT was 5.8% (n...=...49), of which 81.6% (n...=...40) and 18.4% (n...=...9) with minor and intermediate severity respectively. No patient required surgical care and no death occurred. No statistically significant difference was found in treatment distribution between patients with or without IH (p...=...0.98). Among the patients who discontinued their antithrombotic treatment after mTBI, three experienced thrombotic events during the hospitalization. ConclusionsOur results showed a low frequency and severity of IH in mTBI patients indifferently treated with AP, AC or DOAC, without secondary neurological deterioration, death or need of surgical care. Our study suggests the limited benefit of systematic CT head scan as a standard practice for the management of mTBI patients under antithrombotic therapy.

Sinking Skin Flap Syndrome: Cause of Secondary Neurological Deterioration

Introduction: Sinking skin flap syndrome is a rare complication of craniectomy, which is performed as a treatment of severe intracranial hypertension. Cases Reports: The first case is a 55 year old man. Admitted with Glascow score of 13/15, rapid neurological deterioration was noted with a GCS of 9/15, and then anisocoria. CT scan had objectified hemorrhagic contusions, subdural hematoma measured 11 mm and deviation of the median line. The patient was operated with evacuation of the subdural hematoma through a large decompressive craniectomy. In the second month, he presented a cranial deformation with a deepening of the cutaneous plane, with deterioration of the neurological status and a generalized convulsive crisis. The second case is that of a 32 year old man, admitted to the emergency room with 8/15 of GCS with anisocoria. CT scan was showing an 11 mm right subdural hematoma with a hemorrhagic contusion opposite, a 12 mm midline deviation and diffuse cerebral edema. The patient was operated with evacuation of the subdural hematoma through a large craniectomy. The neurological examination after the extubation showed a GCS of 14. Two days later, the patient presented a depression of the right scalp with an aspect of skin flap syndrome on CT scan without significant neurological deterioration. Conclusion: The role of decompressive craniectomy in neurological improvement in still uncertain, and timing of cranioplasty is more debate: early with unclear neurologic status and preventing the skin flap syndrome or delete after final outcome.

Traumatic Brain Injury in Patients Receiving Direct Oral Anticoagulants.

Emergency departments (EDs) are faced with a growing number of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) using direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). However, there remains uncertainty about the bleeding risk, rate of hematoma expansion, and the efficacy of reversal strategies in these patients. This study aims to identify the risk of traumatic hemorrhagic complications in patients with TBI using DOACs. In this retrospective study we included patients with TBI. All TBI patients were using DOACs, attended one of the three EDs of our hospital between January 2016 and October 2019, and received a computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain. The primary outcome was any traumatic intracranial hemorrhage on CT. Secondary outcomes were the use of reversal agents, secondary neurological deterioration, a neurosurgical intervention within 30days after the injury, length of stay (LOS), Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at discharge, and mortality. Of the included patients (N=316), 24 patients (7.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.2-9.8) presented with a traumatic intracranial hematoma (ICH). Seven patients (2.2%, 95% CI 0.6-3.8) received a reversal agent and 1 patient (0.3%, 95% CI -0.3-0.9) underwent a neurosurgical intervention. Of the 24 patients with a traumatic ICH, progression of the lesion was seen in 6 patients (1.9%, 95% CI 0.4-3.4). The mean LOS was 6.5days (95% CI 3.0-10.1) and the mean GOS at discharge was 4 (95% CI 3.6-4.6). Death occurred in 1 patient (0.3%, 95% CI -0.3-0.9) suffering from an ICH. Based on the present findings it can be postulated that TBI patients using DOACs have a low risk for ICH. Hematoma progression occurred, however, in a substantial number of patients. Considering the retrospective nature of the present study, future prospective trials are needed to confirm this finding.

Letter by Scutelnic et al Regarding Article, “Acute Neurological Deterioration in Large Vessel Occlusions and Mild Symptoms Managed Medically”

HomeStrokeVol. 51, No. 10Letter by Scutelnic et al Regarding Article, “Acute Neurological Deterioration in Large Vessel Occlusions and Mild Symptoms Managed Medically” Free AccessLetterPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyRedditDiggEmail Jump toFree AccessLetterPDF/EPUBLetter by Scutelnic et al Regarding Article, “Acute Neurological Deterioration in Large Vessel Occlusions and Mild Symptoms Managed Medically” Adrian Scutelnic, MD Simon Jung, MD Mirjam R. HeldnerMD, MSc Adrian ScutelnicAdrian Scutelnic Search for more papers by this author , Simon JungSimon Jung Search for more papers by this author , and Mirjam R. HeldnerMirjam R. Heldner https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3594-2159 Search for more papers by this author Originally published28 Sep 2020https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.030856Stroke. 2020;51:e287–e288To the Editor:We thank the authors for their important work. Saleem et al1 retrospectively studied frequency, time point, and predictors of in-hospital secondary neurological deterioration (SND) in patients with admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≤5 despite large vessel occlusion managed medically (conservatively +/- with intravenous thrombolysis) initially. In-hospital SND of ≥4 NIHSS score points occurred in a fifth of patients, at a median of 3.6 (1–16) hours after admission, impacted outcome, and was not predictable in multivariate analysis. After SND, rescue reperfusion therapy improved outcome.To date, we have published 2 studies on related topics.2,3 Based thereon and in Saleem et al’s1 study, we performed the current analysis containing patients managed conservatively (+/- with rescue reperfusion therapy finally) from January 2004 until December 2019. In our prospective single tertiary care center cohort of patients with large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation and low NIHSS score, there have been included 110 (47.6%) conservatively treated patients with occlusion of the internal carotid artery and/or M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery and without coexisting chronic vessel occlusion. Any in-hospital SND occurred at a median of 13.6 (0.8–23) hours, with an increase of the NIHSS score ≥1 in 58 (52.7%) and ≥4 in 36 (32.7%) of patients. The latter was not predictable in multivariate analysis which nearly included the same variables as in Saleem et al’s1 study. Thirty-one (28.2%) patients were finally treated with rescue reperfusion therapy: 24 (77.4%) with endovascular therapy, 6 (19.4%) with bridging therapy, and 1 (3.2%) with intravenous thrombolysis. Rescue reperfusion therapy was only performed in patients with in-hospital SND, in 51.7%/58% of patients with an increase of the NIHSS score ≥1/4. In patients with SND of NIHSS score ≥1/4 versus with no deterioration, median NIHSS score change from admission to discharge was 4 (−4 to 39)/6 (−3 to 39) versus −1 (−4 to 37) each P<0.0001, there was a reduced chance of 3 months independence (modified Rankin Scale, 0–2; 45.8%/28.6% versus 81.8%, odds ratio 0.19/0.09; each P<0.0001) and of survival (83.1%/80% versus 97.7%, odds ratio 0.11/0.9; each P<0.02). In patients with any in-hospital SND, patients treated with versus without rescue reperfusion therapy showed equal median NIHSS score change from admission to discharge: 4 (−4 to 39) versus 4 (−3 to 39); P=0.775, 2 symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages (6.5% versus 0%; P=0.494) and equal 3 months independence (50% versus 41.4%; P=0.506) and survival (83.3% versus 82.8%; P=0.953).Overall, compared to Saleem et al’s data, any in-hospital SND was more frequent in our analysis, also negatively impacted outcome and also was not predictable. Outcome after in-hospital SND was similar with versus without rescue reperfusion therapy. We have not included patients with vessel occlusions of a more distal or posterior circulation location and only those managed conservatively initially, without intravenous thrombolysis, which surely helps explain our less favorable outcome results. Also, at our center, we tend to have a rather low threshold in performing primary reperfusion therapy in this specific patient group. Likely, this caused an unfavorable selection bias for some patients left for potential rescue reperfusion therapy if SND occured.Anyway, repeatedly, rates of in-hospital SND have been shown to be around 40% in conservatively treated patients with large vessel occlusion, despite low NIHSS score. Evidence is increasing that primary reperfusion therapy probably is superior to conservative therapy or rescue reperfusion therapy in this specific patient group. However, it remains unclear yet, whether rescue reperfusion therapy is inferior, superior or equal to continued conservative therapy after SND.1–4 As suggested before, total NIHSS score and modified Rankin Scale might not show sufficient sensitivity in assessment of patients with large vessel occlusion and low NIHSS score, and there is an unmet need for multicenter randomized controlled trials addressing best therapy.3DisclosuresDr Heldner received a grant from Bangerter Foundation on the topic of best therapy in patients with large vessel occlusion and low National Institutes of Stroke Scale score.FootnotesThis manuscript was sent to Marc Fisher, Senior Consulting Editor, for editorial decision and final disposition.For Disclosures, see page e287.

Outcome of patients with large vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation and low NIHSS score.

Optimal management of patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) and low NIHSS score is unknown, which was the aim to investigate in this study. This is a retrospective analysis of a prospective single tertiary care centre 14-year cohort of patients with LVO in the anterior circulation and NIHSS score ≤ 5 on admission. Outcome was analysed according to primary intended therapy. Among 185 patients (median age 67.4years), 52.4% received primary conservative therapy (including 26.8% secondary reperfusion in case of secondary neurological deterioration), 12.4% IV thrombolysis (IVT) only and 35.1% primary endovascular therapy (EVT). 95 (51.4%) patients experienced neurological deterioration until 3months. Primary-IVT-only and primary-EVT compared to conservative-therapy patients had better 3months' outcome (54.5% vs. 30.8%: adjustedOR 6.02; adjustedp = 0.004 for mRS 0-1 and 54.7% vs. 30.8%: adjustedOR 5.09; adjustedp = 0.002, respectively). Also mRS shift analysis favored primary-IVT-only and primary-EVT patients (adjustedOR 6.25; adjustedp = 0.001 and adjustedOR 3.14; adjustedp = 0.003). Outcome in primary-IVT-only vs. primary-EVT patients did not differ significantly. Patients who received secondary EVT because of neurological deterioration after primary-conservative-therapy had worse 3months' outcome than primary-EVT patients (20.8% vs. 30.8%: adjustedOR 0.24; adjustedp = 0.047 for mRS 0-1 and adjustedOR 0.31; adjustedp = 0.019 in mRS shift analysis). Survival and symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage did not differ amongst groups. Our data indicate that primary IVT and/or EVT may be better than primary conservative therapy in patients with LVO in the anterior circulation and low NIHSS score. Furthermore, primary EVT was better than secondary EVT in case of neurological deterioration. There is an unmet need for RCTs to find the optimal therapy for this patient group.

Is The Combination of Glasgow Coma Scale and Transcranial Doppler Pulsatility Index Improving The Prediction of Outcome in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients?

Background: Glasgow coma scale (GCS) is a familiar scoring system with a standard statistical association with neurological outcome, it has many limitations that minimize its ability in prediction of Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients' outcome. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a noninvasive aid in this field that can improve outcome prediction. Objective: This study aims to explore the effect of combination of GCS and Pulsatility Index (PI) in the prediction of outcome of TBI patients. Patients and Method: This study was performed in Zagazig University Hospital (ZUH). 103 traumatic brain injured patients were engaged in the investigations with hospital days of 1, 2, 3, and 7 or until patient discharge. The study was performed by TCD along with GCS recordings. Prognosis was also assessed by the Glasgow outcome scale (GOS). Results: The sensitivity and negative predictive value of PI was more than GCS in TBI patients (GCS 3-15), as they were (67.5% versus 50%) and (81.1% versus 74.3%), respectively. The combination of both PI and GCS increased the sensitivity and the negative predictive value up to 70% and 83.3%, respectively. PI had higher sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values than GCS in the identification of secondary neurologic deterioration (SND) in mild and moderate TBI patients (73.3% versus 40.0%, 61.1% versus 50.0%, and 92.0% versus 83.9%, respectively), while the combined value of both PI and GCS increased both sensitivity and positive predictive value up to 76.7% and 66.7%, respectively. Conclusion: The combination of GCS and PI would improve the prediction of outcome.

Transcranial Doppler Versus CT-Angiography for Detection of Cerebral Vasospasm in Relation to Delayed Cerebral Ischemia After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Prospective Single-Center Cohort Study

Prospective diagnostic accuracy study. Neurocritical care unit and neurosurgical ward at a tertiary academic medical center. Between 2013 and 2016, 59 consenting patients were included. Patients undergo both transcranial Doppler and CT angiography for detection of cerebral vasospasm on days 5 and 10 after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Delayed cerebral ischemia was defined as secondary neurologic deterioration, not explained otherwise. Unfavorable outcome was defined modified Rankin Scale > 2 at 6 months. On transcranial Doppler, cerebral vasospasm was observed in 26 patients (45%). On CT angiography, vasospasm was observed in 54 patients (95%). The agreement between transcranial Doppler and CT angiography was 0.47. Delayed cerebral ischemia occurred in 16 patients (27%); unfavorable outcome in 12 patients (20%). Transcranial Doppler predicted delayed cerebral ischemia with a sensitivity of 0.44 (day 5) and 0.50 (day 10), with a specificity of 0.67 (day 5) and 0.57 (day 10). CT angiography predicted delayed cerebral ischemia with a sensitivity of 0.81 (day 5 and 10) and with a specificity of 0.070 (day 5) and 0.00 (day 10). The highest accuracy for predicting unfavorable outcome was on day 5 (0.61 for transcranial Doppler vs 0.27 for CT angiography). The diagnostic accuracy of both CT angiography and transcranial Doppler for detection of cerebral vasospasm as well as prediction of delayed cerebral ischemia and functional outcome is limited. The agreement between CT angiography and transcranial Doppler is low.

A case report of delayed cortical infarction adjacent to sulcal clots after traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage in the absence of proximal vasospasm

BackgroundCortical ischemic lesions represent the predominant pathomorphological pattern of focal lesions after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Autopsy studies suggest that they occur adjacent to subarachnoid blood and are related to spasm of small cortical rather than proximal arteries. Recent clinical monitoring studies showed that cortical spreading depolarizations, which induce cortical arterial spasms, are involved in lesion development. If subarachnoid blood induces adjacent cortical lesions, it would be expected that (i) they also develop after traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (tSAH), and (ii) lesions after tSAH can occur in absence of angiographic vasospasm, as was found for aSAH.Case presentationAn 86-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with fluctuating consciousness after hitting her head during a fall. The initial computed tomography (CT) was significant for tSAH in cortical sulci. On day 8, the patient experienced a secondary neurological deterioration with reduced consciousness and global aphasia. Whereas the CT scan on day 9 was still unremarkable, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on day 10 revealed new cortical laminar infarcts adjacent to sulcal blood clots. Proximal vasospasm was ruled out using MR and CT angiography and Doppler sonography. CT on day 14 confirmed the delayed infarcts.ConclusionsWe describe a case of delayed cortical infarcts around sulcal blood clots after tSAH in the absence of proximal vasospasm, similar to results found previously for aSAH. As for aSAH, this case suggests that assessment of angiographic vasospasm is not sufficient to screen for risk of delayed infarcts after tSAH. Electrocorticography is suggested as a complementary method to monitor the hypothesized mechanism of spreading depolarizations.

Hypodensities detected at 1.5–3 h after intracerebral hemorrhage better predicts secondary neurological deterioration

BackgroundSecondary neurological deterioration in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) develops within the first 24 or 48 h after ICH onset and appears to portend a poor prognosis. We aimed to verify whether hypodensities within an acute ICH detected by noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) were able to predict secondary neurological deterioration and investigate which monitoring window was of the highest predictive value. Materials/methodsThis study involved sICH patients from three clinical centers of Fudan University between October 1, 2016 and March 31, 2018. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between hypodensities and secondary neurological deterioration. The receiver operating characteristic curve of the subjects was performed to evaluate the critical value of the detection time window of hypodensities that best predicted the secondary neurological injury. Then, we divided the detection time window of hypodensities into 0–1.5 h, 1.5–3 h, 3–4.5 h and 4.5–6 h, and calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV), negative predictive values (NPV) and accuracy respectively. ResultsA total of 240 ICH patients met the inclusion criteria, 97 (40.42%) of whom were observed secondary neurological deterioration. Hypodensities were positive in 113 patients (47.08%), and more common in patients with secondary neurological deterioration (76.25%). The multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that infratentorial hemorrhage (P < .001), the baseline hematoma volume (P = .015), and the presence of hypodensities on admission CT scan (P < .001) were independent predictors of secondary neurological deterioration. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of hypodensities in predicting secondary neurological deterioration were 76.3%, 72.7%, 65.5%, and 81.9%, respectively. When the time to the baseline NCCT was 114.5 min, the hypodensities were of the highest predictive value. Besides, the risk of secondary neurological deterioration predicted by hypodensities detected during 1.5–3.0 h was higher than other time periods. ConclusionsHypodensities within hematoma detected by an NCCT scan may predict secondary neurological deterioration, independent of other clinical and imaging predictors. Hypodensities detected at 1.5–3.0 h after ICH onset have better predictive efficacy.

Multimodal Neuromonitoring and its Impact on Therapeutic and Diagnostic Decisions in Critical Ill Patients

Patients with acute cerebral injuries for various reasons (traumatic, ischemic, hemorrhagic) are at risc for developing secondary brain damage and further neurological deterioration. The aim of neuromonitoring is to recognize subtile changes in intracranial physiology as early as possible to initiate adequate diagnostic and therapeutic measures to prevent secondary brain damage. Beside the classic method of clinical neuromonitoring in awake patients, implantation of intracranial probes to monitor intracranial pressure, brain tissue oxygenation and brain metabolism are used in comatose patients. Electrophysiological monitoring by electrocorticography or evoked potentials and measurement of cerebral blood flow provide additional information.The indications and clinical impact of these various monitoring techniques are discussed to ensure optimal medical care in patients with acute brain injury.